WHAT A MESS!

Down the Back of the Chair by Margaret Mahy, 2006. Dad desperately searches for the car keys -- and finds everything his family needs down the back of the chair!

Look What the Cat Dragged In by Gary Hogg, 2005. A cat gets revenge on the Lazybones family when he gets tired of caring for them during the winter.

Mama Robot by Davide Cal'i, 2008. A robot mother would never make you clean up your room.

Moose Tracks by Karma Wilson, 2006. When mysterious moose tracks appear all over the house, the narrator of this tale is determined to find out how they got there.

Oink! by Margie Palatini, 2006. Two pigs watch as their discontented neighbors take it upon themselves to clean up the pig pen.

What’s With This Room? by Tom Lichtenheld, 2005. Parents express their dismay at their son’s room, which is littered with gnu poo and has underwear hanging from the ceiling fan.

LETTER WRITING

Boris and the Snoozebox by Leigh Hodgkinson, 2008. A sleepy cat is mistakenly mailed to a series of outlandish destinations.

Click Clack Moo by Doreen Cronin, 2000. When Farmer Brown's cows find a typewriter in the barn they start making demands, and go on strike when the farmer refuses to give them what they want.

Dear Little Lamb by Christa Kempter, 2006. Mama Sheep has cause to worry about her lamb's new pen pal, Wolfgang.

Gardener by Sarah Stewart, 1997. Lydia Grace goes to live with her Uncle Jim in the city for a while, and takes her love for gardening with her.

I Wanna Iguana by Karen Orloff, 2004. Alex and his mother write notes back and forth as he tries to persuade her to let him have a baby iguana for a pet.

Long, Long Letter by Elizabeth Spurr, 1996. A long letter brings Aunt Hetta surprise and adventure, as the loose pages bury her house and keep her warm during the winter.

Meerkat Mail by Emily Gravett, 2007. A meerkat goes on an adventure, and sends home letters to his parents.

Our Tree Named Steve by Alan Zweibel, 2005. A tree serves a family as their swing holder, laundry line, third base, hiding place, and much more!

Plantzilla by Jerdine Nolan, 2002. A series of letters discuss the progress of a very unusual plant that becomes frighteningly more human as the summer progresses.

Raising Sweetness by Diane Stanley, 1999. An orphan learns to read and is able to better her living situation.

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, 2001. The legacy of all she has learned from her grandmother helps Molly succeed in a new school.

WORRYWARTS

*Perfect Percival Priggs by Julie-Anne Graham

Big Chickens by Leslie Helakoski, 2006. While trying to escape from a wolf, four frightened chickens keep getting themselves into the very predicaments they are trying to avoid.

Chicken Chickens by Valeri Gorbachev, 2001. In order to have fun on the playground, two little chicks need to let go of their fears.

Chicken Little by Ed and Rebecca Emberley, 2009. A witty retelling of this story of how chicken with a scrambled noggin and his fellow bird brains overreact to a small incident.

Clarice Bean, Don’t Look Now! by Lauren Child, 2008. As her worries multiply, Clarice begins listing them in a notebook.


Disappearing Desmond by Anna Alter, 2010. Shy Desmond prefers to blend into the background. Can his new friend Gloria help him overcome his fear of the spotlight?

"I Have A Little Problem," Said the Bear by Heinz Janisch. His friends are in such a hurry to help that they forget to listen to Bear in order to find out the source of his worries...

Is A Worry Worrying You? by Feride Wolffe, 2005. This book addresses common and uncommon fears in a creative and humorous way.

Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears by Emily Gravett, 2008. Little Mouse faces her fears by writing them down in her journal, researching and illustrating them.

Loretta, Ace Pinky Scout by Keith Graves, 2002. A perfectionist is devastated when she fails to earn the Golden Marshmallow Badge, but her grandma reassures her that it's nothing to worry about.

One of A Kind by Ariel S. Winter, 2012.  An only child in a school full of twins wonders if he will ever fit in...

Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt, 2006. A squirrel never leaves his tree because he's afraid of the unknown - until something unexpected happens that changes his outlook.

Silly Billy by Anthony Browne, 2006. A young boy is overwhelmed with anxiety, so his grandmother gives him Guatemalan worry dolls. Then, he worries that he is overburdening the dolls!

Walter Was Worried by Laura Seeger, 2005. The letters that spell out Walter's feelings also form his facial characteristics, as well as his expression.

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes, 2000. A shy mouse who worries about everything, finds that she has an entire list of things to worry about when she faces the first day of school.

What If...?  by Anthony Browne, 2014. On the way to a house for a friend's party, Joe worries over everything that might possibly go wrong.

DRAGONS & ROYALTY

Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle, 2004. When his mother refuses to get him a dog, a young boy asks for a dragon instead.

Elvira by Margaret Shannon, 1993. A gentle dragon dislikes fighting other dragons and gobbling up princesses.


George and the Dragon by Chris Wormell, 2002. A fierce and scary dragon is only afraid of one thing… a mouse.

Friend for Dragon by Dav Pilkey, 1991. Dragon becomes such close friends with an apple that he deeply mourns its loss and is overjoyed when more grow to take its place.

Frog Prince, Continued by Jon Scieszka, 1991. After the frog turns into a prince, he and the Princess do not live happily ever after and the Prince decides to look for a witch to help him remedy the situation.

Hiding Hoover by Elise Broach, 2005. Two children must find a way around their father's "no pets" rule when a friendly dragon appears in their backyard.

Max’s Dragon by Kate Banks, 2008. Max impresses his big brothers by using rhyming words to tame a dragon.

Pet Dragon by Christoph Niemann, 2008. A story about a girl and her pet dragon is enhanced by Chinese characters superimposed over each two-page spread.

A Pie Went By by Carolyn Dunn, 1999. King Bing plans to offer a pie to Queen Bea when he asks her to marry him, but the animals he passes on the way have other ideas.

Prince Cinders by Babette Cole, 1992. A fairy grants a small, skinny prince a change in appearance and the chance to go to the Palace Disco.

Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole, 1991. Not wishing to marry any of her royal suitors, Princess Smartypants devises difficult tasks at which they all fail, until the multi-talented Prince Swashbuckle appears.

Waking Beauty by Leah Wilcox, 2008. The prince tries to wake Sleeping Beauty up by
jumping on the bed and shooting her out of a cannon.

MANNERS

Bill In A China Shop by Katie Weaver, 2003. After Bill the bull accidentally destroys much of the contents of a china shop, three old ladies help him acquire the teacup he had hoped to buy.

Do Unto Otters by Laurie Keller, 2007. This interactive “punny” book on manners teaches readers to say please and thank you in Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Pig Latin.

Eat, Cried Little Pig by Jonathan London, 2003. "Eat!" was Little Pig's first word. He loves food. He loves to squish it and squash it and wear it in his hair. He slurps it, slops it and gets it everywhere!

Good Thing You’re Not An Octopus! by Julie Markes, 2001. A boy finds that his life is pretty easy compared to how it might be.

Mary Louise Loses Her Manners by Diane Cuneo, 1999. When Mary Louise starts saying things like "fleas" and "spank you" instead of "please" and "thank you," she realizes that she has lost her manners and goes in search of them.

Me First by Helen Lester, 1992. Pinkerton the pig always manages to be first until he rushes for a sandwich and it turns out to be not the edible kind.

My Dog Never Says Please by Suzanne Williams, 1997. Tired of having to mind her manners, clean her room, and wear shoes, Ginny Mae wishes she could trade places with the family dog.

UNWANTED HOUSEGUESTS & NOISY NEIGHBORS

Always Listen to Your Mother by Florence Parry Heide, 2010.
Ernest, a boy who always does what his mother tells him learns to have fun with his new neighbor. 

Bertie Was A Watchdog by Rick Walton, 2002.
Burglars are definitely unwanted guests - but they are no match for Bertie,a tiny dog the size of a watch.

Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle, 2004.
When his pet dragon becomes a nuisance, a boy comes up with the perfect plan.

Duck At the Door by Jackie Urbanovic.
A duck wants to come into the house in order to escape the winter cold.

Hubbub Above by Arthur Howard, 2005.
Sydney loves living in her apartment on the fifty-second floor, until a group of noisy neighbors move in upstairs.

Meet Wild Boars by Meg Rosoff, 2005.
It is very hard to be friends with wild boars because they are dirty and smelly, bad-tempered, and rude.

Mrs. Crump's Cat by Linda Smith.
Mrs. Crump is determined to get rid of the stray cat she found on her doorstep - isn't she?

Moose Tracks by Karma Wilson, 2006.
When mysterious moose tracks appear all over the house, the narrator of this tale is determined to find out how they got there.

Mr. Duck Means Business by Tammi Sauer, 2011.
Unexpected noisy visitors show up at the pond and ruffle Mr. Duck's feathers.

Never Ask A Bear by Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud, 2009. 
You can ask a bear over to play, but don't expect him to know the rules...

Read to Tiger by S. J. Fore, 2010.
A boy who wants to read his book keeps being distracted by a tiger who is chomping on gum, growling and practicing karate kicks.

There’s An Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer, 1987.
The alligator under his bed makes a boy's bedtime hazardous operation, until he lures it out of the house and into the garage.

Those Darn Squirrels! by Adam Rubin. A grumpy old man is no match for friendly, mischievous squirrels.

Tiger Can’t Sleep by S. J. Fore, 2006.
A young boy is kept awake by a noisy tiger in his closet that is busy dancing, eating, and making music.

Very Boring Alligator by Jean Gralley, 2001.
Silly rhymes describe what happens when an alligator comes to play and won't go away.

A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker, 2008.
The sign Bear posted outside his house to warn away visitors does not dissuade a small, gray, bright-eyed mouse.

SECURITY OBJECTS

Bunny's Lessons by Harriet Ziefert, 2011. 
A stuffed rabbit learns from his owner how to be loud, how to be messy, how to take a time-out -- and how to be friends.


Flora’s Blanket by Debi Gliori, 2001.
Flora, a little rabbit, does not want to sleep without her missing blanket, so her family helps her look for it.

Geraldine’s Blanket by Holly Keller, 1988.
When her mother and father insist that Geraldine get rid of her baby blanket, she finds a new way to keep it with her all the time.

I Lost My Bear by Jules Feiffer, 1998.
When she cannot find her favorite stuffed toy, a young girl asks her mother, father, and older sister for help.

Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems, 2004.
After Trixie and daddy leave the laundromat, something very important turns up missing.

Mary Had A Little Lamp by Jack Lechner, 2008.
Rather than carrying around a blanket or being followed by a little lamb, Mary is attached to an appliance.

Olivia and the Missing Toy by Ian Falconer, 2003.
When her best toy mysteriously disappears, Olivia the feisty pig is determined to find out who is responsible.

Owen by Kevin Henkes, 1993.
Owen's parents try to get him to give up his favorite blanket before he starts school.

Plaidypus Lost by Janet Stevens, 2004.
Each time a young child takes his favorite toy along to the park, the market, the lake, and for a car ride, he mistakenly leaves him behind.

That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown by Cressida Cowell, 2007.
Emily Brown's rabbit is not for sale - not even to Queen Gloriana, who keeps sending her minions to barter for (and eventually steal) him.

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes, 2000.
A mouse named Wemberly worries about everything, including the safety of her stuffed animal, Petal.

Where’s My Sock? by Joyce Dunbar, 2006.
Pippin’s favorite socks are yellow with clocks – and one of them is missing!

Where’s My Teddy? by Jez Alborough, 1992.
When a small boy named Eddie goes searching for his lost teddy in the dark woods, he comes across a gigantic bear with a similar problem.

Ballerino Nate by Kimberly Bradley, 2006. Nate's dream of being a ballerina is initially discouraged by his older brother.

Belinda the Ballerina by Amy Young, 2002. Are Belinda’s feet too big for her to be a dancer?

Boy Who Looked Like Lincoln by Mike, Reiss, 2003. Benjy, who resembles Abraham Lincoln, is tired of always being Lincoln in the school play, but a special camp helps him to appreciate his appearance.

Courage of the Blue Boy by Robert Neubecker. A young boy learns first to accept, and then to add to, all the colors of the world.

Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen, 2000. Sassy tries out for a summer dance festival in Washington, D.C., despite the other girls' taunts that she is much too tall.

Fair Cow by Leslie Helakoski, 2010. Effie is determined to win a ribbon at the state fair, despite Petunia the Pig's discouragement.

Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester, 1999. Classmates make fun of Rodney because he can’t pronounce his name, but it is Rodney’s speech impediment that drives away the class bully.

Hurty Feelings by Helen Lester, 2004. It looks like trouble when Fragility, a hippo whose feelings are easily hurt, meets Rodney, a rude elephant, on the soccer field.

I Like Myself!  by Karen Beaumont, 2004. In rhyming text, a child expresses her self-esteem and exults in her unique identity.

Loretta, Ace Pinky Scout by Keith Graves, 2002. Loretta, unrelenting perfectionist, is devastated when she fails to earn the Golden Marshmallow Badge, but her grandmother's picture gives her a new perspective on things.

Alfred’s Nose by Vivienne Flesher, 2008. A dog longs for a ‘better’ nose.

The OK Book by Amy Krouse, 2007. A fabulous message that being "okay" at various different activities is enough.

Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill, 2002. Mean Jean is the biggest bully on the school playground until a new girl arrives and challenges Jean’s status as the Recess Queen.

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, 2001. Even when the class bully at her new school makes fun of her, Molly remembers what her grandmother told her and feels good about herself.

Wild About Us!  by Karen Beaumont, 2015. Zoo animals celebrate their differences.

Wow, It Sure Is Good to Be You!  by Cynthia Jabar. This jazzy story reaffirms that even when people you love are far away, they are thinking about you all the time and loving you.